Kudichin or Kudeejeen depending on who you ask, is a small neighborhood on the bank of the Chao Phraya River (Thonburi), where multiple religions coexist in close proximity for more than 200 years. Come here for a bit of holy sites hopping, to taste Thai-Portuguese fusion cuisine and to experience a different side of Bangkok - quite literally, since it is located across the river from the main tourist attractions.

   CONTENTS:

• A BIT OF HISTORY
• CATHOLIC PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY
• WHERE TO EAT THE BEST PORTUGUESE FOOD !
• BAAN KUDICHIN MUSEUM
• CHINESE TAO COMMUNITY
• BUDDHIST COMMUNITY
• MUSLIM COMMUNITY
• HOW TO GET HERE

After the conquest and almost total destruction of the ancient Siam capital Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, King Taksin declared Thonburi the new capital. He reassembled his military forces here and eventually kicked the Burmese out shortly after. To express gratitude to the Chinese, Portuguese and Muslim soldiers that joined him to get Siam Kingdom back, King Taksin has given land to these groups with permission to build their own places of worship.

Originally known as Land of the Chinese Monks: Kudi (land of the monks) Chin (Chinese), it became a multicultural neighborhood where traditions are still proudly celebrated, demonstrating an immense tolerance Thai people practice towards other religions.

Coming here by bicycle is ideal: you can see many interesting sights in a relatively short time. I did my explanation by walking though, because it allows me to slow down to notice details and to take pictures for this blog.

CATHOLICISM:

According to the old tradition, Santa Cruz Church bell rings every day at 6 pm sharp, signaling to all the kids in the neighborhood to quickly make it home. Otherwise, a friendly ghost will kidnap them and make them his playmates...

More than a thousand Portuguese descendants still live here with Santa Cruz Church being the grand symbol of their rich heritage. Portuguese were the first European nation to make contact with the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 16th century, and ever since then, two countries have maintained friendly and mutually beneficial trade relationships.

Throughout the years, Portuguese descendants held onto their traditions, which surely includes cooking, but had to substitute some unavailable ingredients with local ones and that’s how Thai-Portuguese fusion cuisine was born. There are lots of Portuguese foods with a Thai twist to try in this area.

EAT:

• Baan Sakulthong is a cozy and well regarded Thai-Portuguese restaurant which uses recipes from the original settlers passed down from one generation of Portuguese women to the next. A must-visit spot but making reservations beforehand is required. 

• Try a snack served in the Baan Kudichin Museum called sapayak bun made with spicy curried minced pork and small cubes of potatoes.

• Take a break from sightseeing at the Thanusingh Bakery which serves Portuguese style pastries. 

Many Thai desserts actually have Portuguese origins, including foy thongand luk chub, thanks to the dessert chef of the court of Ayutthaya, Marie de Gimard of Japanese-Portuguese descent, who introduced these now popular recipes to Siam.  

Baan Kudichin Museum
Located inside an old Portuguese house, which is free to visit (donations recommended), it is a perfect place to learn a bit more about local history, meet the Portuguese descendants who own the house turned museum to preserve and share this heritage, and if you are lucky, watch them bake pastries while you buy some. 

CHINESE TAO:

Oh, and there is a talking bird, which will greet you with Sawadika in a men’s or women’s voice, depending on its mood. And a wall with beautiful murals- a perfect backdrop for an epic photo.

Chao Pho Suea Shrine (Talat Somdet)
This tiny shrine is tucked away and almost hidden within an urban landscape. I stumbled upon it by accident and its colorful ornaments juxtaposed with grey concrete walls made quite an impression.

Buddhism:

The Wat Kanlayanamit & Wat Prayurawongsawat are the main temples for Thai Buddhists in the neighborhood but I highly recommend taking a little walk and checking out Wat Phitchaya Yatikaram, a less known, very beautiful temple. I was the only tourist there and it was a fantastic experience. Crossing a tiny bridge to get to the temple and climbing up the steep steps to see 3 pagodas was an interesting experience. Plus you get to walk through the local cozy streets and see lots of old wooden houses and a bit of touristic street art.

Wat Phitchaya Yatikaram

Stop by and marvel at the wall with old black and white photographs, which is like an open-air museum.

Suni Islam:

If you still have energy left for more sightseeing, you can visit the Tha Din Daeng Market, a very local market with lots of unfamiliar food items and fruits.

If feeling like taking a break: make your way to the Princess Mother Memorial Park to relax in the shade of beautiful grand trees. It is a perfect place for a small picnic: very small but very well-maintained.  

The Narok Pad Thai, one of the best Pad Thai Places in Bangkok (I wrote about it here: Top 7 Pad Thai Restaurants in Bangkok) is also in the area, well, sort of. So if you are not completely exhausted from all the sightseeing or if traveling by bicycle: do come here after 4 and taste a quite unique version of the iconic Thai dish. I walked there (cause I walk everywhere) but you can take Grab, I won’t judge.